


my heart with you

by nobeliumoxygenoxygen



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, M/M, Party, Post S3, S3 spoilers, Secret Santa Fic, tdpholidayexchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:27:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22064761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nobeliumoxygenoxygen/pseuds/nobeliumoxygenoxygen
Summary: Ethari watches over the celebratory gathering with a lightness in his heart that he hasn’t felt in weeks. That is, until Runaan joins him to spectate. Specifically focusing on a certain moonshadow elf and her human lover.+ bonus scene as Callum wonders if Runaan hates him, Rayla tries to assure him he doesn’t, and he–well, it’s not like he can’tnotlisten to his girlfriend but it’s not like he canbelieveher either…
Relationships: Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Runaan/Tinker | Necklace Elf (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 157





	my heart with you

**Author's Note:**

> My secret santa fic for @the-answer-was-bi-klance in the @tdpholidayexchange (on tumblr)

It had already been a couple hours since the celebrations had begun, but the mood was still soaring. 

Ethari couldn’t blame anyone though, not for the noise, or the rowdiness, or the crowds; he knew it was a big celebration, not just for him but for the whole of Xadia. The dragon prince’s birth and the newfound peace over the continent was something that would go down in history as the era’s legacy, no doubt. Even if it was Runaan’s return that would remain in the core of his heart. 

It was funny, though. He would have thought he wouldn’t have been able to stay away from his husband–the moon only knew just how much he had yearned for him, tears and broken heart not going unnoticed by those who knew him. But as Runaan made his way around the moonshadow elves, most giving him nods of acknowledgement and respect, Ethari stepped away and towards a tree at the edge of the clearing everyone had gathered in; all races of elves and humans, and earlier the baby dragon prince himself before he’d been taken away by his mother for his bedtime.

Despite the enormity of it all, it was really just a scattered gathering of joyful people, coming together for the first time in generations. 

Humans arm wrestled with elves on the tables that just an hour ago had been covered with mixtures of human and elven cuisine, and Ethari couldn’t help but spot the Katolian soldiers who had assisted Rayla in bringing Runaan back were engaged in sparring battles with some of their assassins and fighters. Though, he had to admit, it wasn’t that hard to miss the loud blond and the strawberry-haired kind one, not when the renowned general and the newly crowned Sunfire queen were often not far behind. 

His gaze swept elsewhere, finding itself on his niece and her new lover. Rayla and Callum were sharing a moment at the other edge of the clearing, the former laughing as the latter made a face at the food he was eating. Ethari smiled fondly; he was glad beyond words she had found someone who could be, perhaps, what Runaan was to him.

Speaking of…

“Enjoying the party, my love?” Runaan asked softly as he took Ethari’s hand and settled in next to him. 

“Of course. How could I not?” He smiled wider, thoughtful. “Are you?”

Runaan chuckled. “As much as I can be. I’d nearly forgotten how rowdy some of us could be.” They laughed together, the fitting sound of cheers from the audience surrounding the arm wrestlers carrying throughout the clearing. Runaan quietened though, when he saw Rayla and Callum, Ethari stifling his own laughter as the grip on his hand tightened. 

Moonshadow assassin or not, Runaan’s protective side over their pseudo-niece was one of the most obvious things about him, second only to his love for Ethari. “You’re not going over to separate them?” He teased, waving at Callum’s tense smile, the pair having noticed Runaan’s burning gaze-that-bordered-on-a-glare-Rayla-knew-far-too-well. He had to give it to Rayla; she was doing a very good job at dutifully ignoring it. “They’re not even three xadian leaves apart.”

Runaan inhaled slowly, giving Ethari a raised eyebrow. Nonetheless, the playful glint emerged in his eyes. “Are you _trying_ to provoke me?” 

He only grinned back. 

Runaan shook his head, slowly, his eyes clouded with a whirlpool of emotion. “Rayla has grown. Faster than I would have ever expected… to separate her from her– _Callum_.” In this context, he could barely push the boy’s name out, Ethari noted with amusement, having witnessed earlier how Runaan had been fine praising the little group of their immeasurable achievements. “After all they’ve done, would be juvenile.” He paused. “Even if they’re far too _close_.”

But as he said that, Ethari knew the fond glimmer in his husband’s eyes. Protective or not, he was the proudest he’d ever been of Rayla, and though Ethari hadn’t been there, he could only imagine the tears when Runaan and her had first reunited; tears from _both parties_. 

He smiled, shifting closer to lean on him.

There was still much to be done; working on Runaan’s arm, for one, and figuring out the details of the newly acquired peace over Xadia, for another.

But as they took in the moment in that clearing, hand in hand, humans and elves celebrating as one, Ethari knew they would be alright.

His heart had gone out with his lover, and both had finally returned.

_**(Bonus) Earlier…** _

He really couldn’t help it anymore. He had to know, and he had to know now, or, at least, before they made it to Xadia else he’d never get another private moment like this. 

“Uh, Rayla, can I-uh, talk to you? For a sec?” Callum asked quietly, confusing the moonshadow elf as she raised her eyebrows at him. She slowed her steps to match his pace.

“Sure, Callum, what is it?”

He swallowed, glancing over her shoulder at something (or, she thought with a sneaking suspicion, some _one_ ) before continuing. “Does your uncle hate me?”

Rayla blinked. “My… uncle?” She turned around, eyes catching on Runaan’s figure, the older elf talking to Gren and Soren. Her eyes widened. “Runaan’s not my uncle!” She exclaimed, embarrassed. 

This time it was Callum’s turn to blink, mouth forming an ‘o’. 

“He’s–agh, never mind.” She groaned. It’s not like she hadn’t heard this all before and it’s not like it went the same way every time. He wasn’t _really_ her uncle but she wouldn’t have _minded_ calling him her uncle but she didn’t know if _he_ would mind and–well, it didn’t matter. “ _No_ , Callum, I’m _sure_ he doesn’t hate you.”

Callum nodded. “Oh, right, uh huh. Gotcha.” He paused, and for a brief, relieving moment Rayla thought that was the end of it. Until he continued. _Humans and their big mouths_. “Was that, um, sarcasm?”

Rayla felt herself halt to a stop, turning towards him again, eyes incredulously wide. “Are you seriously asking me that?”

“I don’t know! Was it sarcasm?” Callum retorted, shrugging helplessly as his arms went up in surrender. 

She slapped a hand over her face, groaning again. This time, she felt rather than heard the other three stop up ahead, probably wondering what they were up to. “How–ugh, whatever. _No_ , it wasn’t Callum. Now would you calm down? Runaan doesn’t _hate_ you.”

“Lover’s quarrel back there?” Soren called out, whistling teasingly as Gren laughed, before it trailed off at the look on Runaan’s face. 

Rayla rolled her eyes at the comment, taking Callum’s hand in response as they walked to catch up. Or, more like _Rayla_ walked and Callum followed mechanically, smiling nervously at the newly freed elf. He raised his hand meekly to wave, stomach churning at the piercing stare. It was _almost_ a glare but–he trusted Rayla, and if she said Runaan didn’t hate her then… he was going to believe her.

As best he could.

If fair was fair, he wondered if this was something he deserved, if only to repay the grueling re-assessment Rayla had gotten from his aunt Amaya as well (their first meeting hadn’t gone very well and everything after had been more a rush than anything else). Of course, she hadn’t been unreasonable and considering Rayla’s role in the whole scheme of things, Amaya wouldn’t have kept up the tough-aunt act for too long. But…

_Rayla never said he_ liked _me, though_ , Callum concluded with a resigned sigh as they rejoined the other three.

It was going to be a long walk back to Xadia, that was for sure.


End file.
